It is thought that a wheelie bin was set alight before being pushed against the homes’s front door, at around 4am today.

Residents were inside at the time but were not injured.

Police are keeping an open mind about whether this latest incident is linked to another on the same street last month when the front door of a flat was set alight.

Det Insp Paul Woods, from Northumbria Police’s Major Crime Team, said: “Our investigations into this arson are underway and we’re asking any witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. Thankfully no-one was injured as a result.

“We know incidents of this nature can cause concern in the community. We have officers patrolling to offer reassurance and I’d ask people to speak to them with any concerns they have or any information on the arson.”

Micky Jerry was staying with his mum Cathy when mystery firestarters struck early on June 10, setting the front door alight.

Thankfully the 47-year-old construction worker was woken by a smoke alarm, at around 3,30am, as the flames took hold and was able to lead his 74-year-old mother downstairs.

But with the fire starting at the only route of escape from the ground-floor maisonette on Flagg Court, the pair were forced to barricade themselves in the kitchen as they waited for help to arrive.

Micky said: “It must have been started deliberately and we both could have been killed. I am fuming. Everything is covered in soot now, but it could have been so much worse.”

Micky was spending the night at his mother’s home to help her as she recovered from a knee operation, when he was woken by the smoke alarm.

A pensioner is left shaken after an arson attack at her home in Flagg Court, South Shields.

“At first I thought it was my phone’s alarm but then as soon as I woke up I could smell the smoke,” he said. “I jumped out of bed and when I got out the room and went down the stairs and from chest height to the ceiling was dense black smoke.”

“I managed to get my mum downstairs and into the kitchen. But we couldn’t get out the door. My mam was coughing really bad so I got her into the kitchen and blocked the gap under the floor to stop the smoke getting in.”

Micky dialled 999 and to his relief he heard the sound of sirens within five minutes.

Firefighters extinguished the flames before entering the ground-floor home wearing breathing apparatus and leading Cathy and Micky to safety.

Both were given oxygen by paramedics but did not need to go to hospital.

“It was really frightening, when I first came down the stairs I thought I must be dreaming. It’s not something you expect at all,” said Micky. “There’s only one way in and one way out of the flat so we were trapped. When I could hear the sirens coming it was such a relief.

“Hopefully the police will find out who is responsible.”

Anyone with any information about the incidents should call Northumbria Police on 101.